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In this episode, we break down what’s really happening when women work nights and why the research shows a higher risk of breast cancer in long-term night shift workers.
More importantly, you’ll learn what you can do right now to reduce that risk in a practical, realistic way.
Here’s what we cover:
• How night shift disrupts your circadian rhythm and hormone balance
• What large long-term studies are showing about elevated breast cancer risk
• Melatonin’s role in repair, recovery, and hormone regulation
• How artificial light at night interferes with melatonin
• The impact on immune function, inflammation, and sleep quality
• Which groups of women are most vulnerable, including menopause considerations
• Roster issues that make risk worse (backward rotations, long stretches, poor recovery)
• Realistic strategies to support your sleep timing and consistency
• Smart light management and how to use daylight to your advantage
• Recovery steps, naps, hydration, and reducing alcohol
• The importance of screening with your GP and understanding your personal risk
• How coaching can help you build routines that truly protect your health
If you want clarity, a plan that actually fits your shifts, and support to improve your health long-term, reach out, this is the work I do every day with shift workers.
Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you’re finding these conversations helpful, a quick rating or review makes a massive difference.
To learn more or to work with me, visit ahealthyshift.com.
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ANNOUNCING
"The Shift Workers Collective"
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Click the link to learn all about it
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_____________________
Disclaimer: Roger Sutherland is not a doctor or a medical professional. Always consult a physician before implementing any strategies mentioned in this podcast. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Roger Sutherland will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of the information contained in this podcast including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness, or death.
_______________________
Episode Transcript
Shift work can be brutal, but it doesn't have to
be.
Welcome to a healthy shift.
My name is Roger Sutherland,certified nutritionist, veteran
law enforcement officer, and24-7 shift worker for almost
four decades.
Through this podcast, I aim toeducate shift workers using
evidence-based methods to notonly survive the rigors of shift
(03:40):
work, but thrive.
My goal is to empower shiftworkers to improve their health
and well-being so they have moreenergy to do the things they
love.
Enjoy today's show.
And welcome back to a healthyshift podcast.
My name, you guessed it, RogerSutherland.
And today I want to talk to youabout something that doesn't get
(04:02):
anywhere near enough attention.
This is going to beuncomfortable.
It's serious, but I want to sayto you, it is very, very
important.
And what we're talking abouttoday is the link between night
shift, circadian misalignment,and breast cancer risk in women.
And before you switch off, thisis not all about doom and gloom.
(04:24):
That's what the research hasdealt with in the past.
What I'm about is to support youand to give you the facts so
that you can make decisions thatwill protect you, the female
shift worker.
And as always, I will give youclear steps that will help you
to lower your risk.
(04:44):
And another option as well.
Setting the stage today, let'sget it out there.
Many women working shift workalready carry a very, very big
load.
You're doing your central work.
What you're doing is you are outthere caring for people.
A lot of you are caring forpeople that can't care for
themselves.
And what you're doing is keepingservices running 24 hours a day.
(05:08):
But while you are doing this,you are literally fighting your
own biology.
And this is the heart of today'stopic because I want to arm you
with the knowledge of this tohelp you to best understand it.
When you understand this, youcan put strategies in place
around it to protect yourself.
Your body has an internal clock,a real clock.
(05:31):
It actually sits deep in thebrain and it controls everything
from hormones, your digestion,your body temperature, your
mood, your sleep, and all theway down to how the cells
literally repair themselves inyour body.
Now, when you are awake at nightand you're trying to sleep
during the day, what are youdoing?
(05:52):
You're actually pushing againstthat clock's natural diurnal
rhythm.
And over the years and sometimesdecades, that misalignment
actually builds and at a severecost.
And trust me on this, theresearch is very, very strong.
So what does the research tellus?
(06:13):
Now we've known for a long timethat night shift isn't just a
bad sleep pattern.
In 2007, the InternationalAgency for Research on Cancer
actually classified shift workinvolving circadian disruption
as a probable cause of breastcancer.
And this is highly likely givenwhat we now know.
(06:36):
And at the time, some peoplethought that's a bit of a
stretch.
But now we have huge studieswith more than four million
women, and the results areconsistent.
Women who work night shift havea higher risk of breast cancer
than women who don't.
Let me repeat that for you.
Four million women researched instudies, and the results are
(07:01):
consistent.
Ready?
Women who work night shift havea higher risk of breast cancer
than women who don't.
Now the risk increases with thismore night shifts per week, more
years in shift work, and getthis one starting night shift
before menopause.
(07:22):
And the strongest link is ahormone-sensitive cancers like
ER plus, PR plus, and HER2,which is oestrogen receptor
plus, progesterone receptorplus, and HER2.
These are particularhormone-sensitive cancers.
Now, this is not about blame,and I'm not here to guilt you.
(07:43):
This is about understanding howyour biology works so that you,
the female shift worker, canactually take action for this.
So, why does this risk increase?
Let's go through that.
Let's break down the why andbreak it down in very, very
simple terms.
The real problem starts withexposure to light at night.
(08:06):
Light at night switches off ourmelatonin production.
And melatonin isn't just thedarkness signaler, or as we
think of it, the sleep hormone.
Melatonin is actually one of thebody's strongest natural
protectants against cancer.
Melatonin literally repairs DNA,it reduces oxidative stress, it
(08:32):
slows tumor growth, and it actsas a natural anti-estrogen.
So when you work at night inlight, what happens?
Melatonin suppressed.
And so what you're doing is youare suppressing the very
function that melatonin is thereto protect you against.
This means that estrogen becomesmore dominant, and
(08:55):
hormone-sensitive tissues thensuddenly become more vulnerable.
And that is just the first hit.
The second hit is thatmisaligned sleep.
Poor sleep weakens the immunesystem and it affects how well
our body finds and removes allof those abnormal cells in our
body.
And over the years, ladies, thisadds up.
(09:17):
It's not just one or two shifts,it adds up.
You think about it, you're goingover and over and over again,
getting those sniffles, gettingthose colds, your immune system
is actually compromised.
You are causing hormonal chaosin your body.
The third hit is a long-termpattern.
If you've done night shift for10, 20, or 30 years, that
(09:41):
disruption doesn't just sitquietly.
It affects cell repair, itaffects inflammation, your
metabolic health, hormonebalance, fat gain.
When you combine these things,these three, low melatonin,
misaligned sleep, and long-termexposure, you literally have a
recipe for disaster and asituation where risk increases.
(10:04):
And who is most at risk?
Let's see if I can hit you.
From the research, we know thatthe risk is higher in women
working more than five nightsper week.
If you do more than five nightsper week, you're in trouble.
Women working nights for longerthan ten years.
Women who begin night workbefore menopause.
(10:27):
And w women withhormone-sensitive cancers.
Ladies, I've got you covered,majority of you.
And here is an important point.
Women who started night shiftafter menopause didn't show the
same increase in risk.
How interesting.
And what this does tell us isthat the hormonal environment is
(10:50):
playing a huge role.
Now, why does this actuallymatter for you, the female shift
worker?
Because you're often told justto sleep more and just tough it
out.
But you are not strugglingbecause you're weak.
You're struggling because yourbiology is literally being
pulled in the wrong directionevery time you work through that
(11:10):
night or rotate backwards.
Now, when I say rotatebackwards, I'm talking about
quick changeovers, swing shifts.
Call it whatever you like.
No one should be doing anafternoon shift into a day
shift.
It just doesn't work and itcauses biological issues.
And we need to stop rosteringthem.
(11:31):
And the problem is that thehealth system, workplaces, and
rosters, no one designs themwith circadian health in mind.
So women in shift work end updoing all of the heavy lifting.
They hold the job, they hold thehome life, they got the sleep
debt, the hormonal shifts, andhere's your prize long-term
(11:52):
health risks.
And that's why it's so importantthat we talk about this openly.
And what can you do about it?
Well, you can't change the factthat shift work exists, but you
can reduce the damage that itactually causes.
And this is where circadianalignment becomes the all
empowerment.
(12:12):
Here are the biggest steps thatactually make a difference that
you can focus on, and you mustfocus on.
It is super important.
Protect your sleep window.
As much and as often as you can,you need to go to bed and wake
up at the most consistent timesyou can.
Consistency is what keeps yourbody clock steady.
(12:34):
It helps to anchor thatcircadian rhythm.
It tells your body where it's atin time and space.
And clients of mine that areworking with this are actually
starting to really thrive.
And I mean really thrive becausethey have learnt the benefit of
anchoring that circadian rhythmand getting up at the same time,
early every day.
(12:55):
Ladies, that's sleeping.
That's not listening to yourbody, that's actually ignoring
your body.
You need to be getting up at thesame time every day.
Have yourself a nap before yougo in.
You may find that you don't evenneed it when you get up early at
the same time.
You get bonus points for goingto bed at the same time, but I
understand.
You can't always do that.
(13:16):
But the thing is, when you wantto catch up on sleep, go to bed
earlier the night after.
Go to bed earlier when you canget a chance to go to bed
earlier on those days off.
It's not a day to celebrate andstay up late, spend time with
your partner watching 15episodes of something on
Netflix.
That is not what you should do.
In fact, here's the rule.
(13:38):
Here is the rule, and I want youto apply it every single time.
Every time you go to start towatch the next episode, and
remember, Netflix is verycunning.
It will auto-start the nextepisode for you without you even
having to think about it.
It does it deliberately to keepyou in front of it.
But I want you to ask yourselfthis question.
Would I set an alarm at 4 a.m.
in the morning to get up andwatch this episode?
(14:00):
Because if the answer to that isno way, don't be ridiculous.
I need my sleep.
Go the hell to bed.
Because that's what you actuallyneed.
It's Netflix.
It's always there.
You can get back to it.
Trust me.
Now the next thing is we need touse light properly.
Light is a drug.
And if you don't use it right,it will literally work against
(14:21):
you.
We need to get daylight as soonas we wake up.
We need to keep our eveningsdim, low light, zero blue
lights.
Block blue light on nights.
We wear blue light blockingglasses if we can't control our
uh environment, our lightingenvironment.
Wear blue light blocking glasseson the way home from night
(14:45):
shift.
Block it.
These small adjustments actuallyhelp to protect that melatonin.
Remember, melatonin isn't justthere to make you sleep.
And so many of you are actuallyout there going, Oh, I don't
need to worry about themelatonin because when I get
home, I go to bed and I gostraight to sleep.
Well, you know what?
Kudos to you.
Because what that shows isyou're actually exhausted, and
(15:06):
that's called sleep pressure.
That is not melatonin helpingyou to fall asleep.
There is a massive difference.
And this is why we tend to wakeup because we don't have the
melatonin in the system.
And when you protect thatmelatonin, you're actually
protecting your hormones.
Number three, we need to recoverbetween night shifts.
(15:28):
After a block of nights, sleepmust be your number one
priority.
Not chores, not Erin's, notrunning kids to school, not
catching up on life.
Get home, go straight to bed.
That's the most important thing.
I know it's not easy for all ofyou, but there are a lot of you
that fiddle fart around when youget home from work, putting
washing on, doing other things,and then deciding when it's time
(15:50):
to go to sleep.
That is not the way to do it.
You're actually creatinghormonal chaos in your body.
Get home, get straight to bed,go to sleep.
This will is what will help you.
Get up and do those errandsduring the day, then go back and
have a nap before you go backin.
That is the key.
That's what I used to do.
I did that for 40 years.
(16:10):
I was a two-nap person on everynight shift.
Always.
Try it.
It works extremely well.
It also helps you to come out ofnight shift very well as well.
Number four is to limit longruns of nights.
Runs of more than five nightsincrease these risks sharply.
And research is very clear onthis.
(16:30):
If you have any influence overyour roster, avoid anything more
than three or four nights.
It's that simple.
Number five, ready?
Keep alcohol low.
In fact, stop it.
Alcohol pushes estrogen higherand it affects sleep quality.
(16:51):
After night shift, this becomeseven more important.
Alcohol is not a it maybe itrelaxes you, but it impacts
greatly on your sleep.
Cut it.
It's also a toxin in your body.
I love how people exercise,think they eat nutritiously,
they can't what we can't workout why they're gaining weight,
but they drink alcohol.
(17:12):
Let me just be clear with you.
Alcohol to the body is a toxin.
It parks everything else whileit deals with the alcohol.
Minimize it.
Keep your weight steady.
Adipose tissue is what actuallyproduces estrogen.
So weight managers managementhelps to reduce the load on your
hormone system as well.
(17:35):
This is important.
And know your personal risk.
If you have a family history orother risk factors, sit down,
have a chat with your GP.
Get the right screening done foryou and don't wait.
Ask, am I at risk of breastcancer?
They know what the actual uhgenes are that you need to be
(17:57):
monitoring or watching for.
They are the doctors.
They will be able to help youwith this.
Go and see a women's healthspecialist and find out.
Why would you be at risk andcontinue to push yourself into,
oh, don't worry about it.
It's just night shift.
I'll sort it out.
You will sort it out.
One day you'll be lying there ina hospital bed having
(18:17):
chemotherapy wishing you had.
The bigger message here iscircadian misalignment isn't
just about feeling tired orhaving a bad sleep.
It is literally creatinghormonal chaos in your body.
It affects your hormones, itaffects your cellular health,
and it affects your long-termdisease risk.
(18:39):
And for women on night shift,this impact is real and it is
measurable.
But here's the good news.
Because when you understand yourcircadian rhythm and you learn
how to work with it instead ofagainst it, you can reduce these
risks.
You will feel better, you willsleep better, and you will
(18:59):
protect your long-term health.
And this is exactly what Ispecialize in with female shift
workers.
I help female shift workers toget their circadian rhythms as
aligned as possible so that theycan reduce the impacts of night
shift and protect theirlong-term health.
I literally work with clientsone-on-one and help them to fix
(19:21):
their sleep patterns, structuretheir routines, get their light
diet right so that your hormonesaren't fighting against you
every single day and night.
And ladies, the questions issimple.
And I want you to listencarefully.
This is the question.
Can you afford not to?
(19:41):
Well, can you?
If you want support, guidance,and you would like a clear plan
for your shift work, reach outbecause this is what I do, and
it can change your health in areal and measurable way.
Thanks for listening, and I'llsee you in the next episode of a
Healthy Shift Podcast.
(20:10):
Thank you for listening.
If you enjoyed this episode, besure to subscribe so you get
notified whenever a new episodeis released.
It would also be ever so helpfulif you could leave a rating and
review on the app you'recurrently listening on.
If you want to know more aboutme or work with me, you can go
to ahealthyshift.com.
I'll catch you on the next one.
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